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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap. Copyright^o, 



Shell. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




FLORENCE ADA MORRIS. 



DESTRUCTION 



. . OF THE 



^ Battleship Maine. ^ 



Uw ©liGinal poem 



FLORENCE ADA MORRIS. 



Price, - - $i.oo. 



EPPING, N. H. 



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24083 



Copyright, 1898. 
BY FLORENCE ADA MORRIS. 



TWO COPI^S.«€c.-l.VED. 




"ixM. ^^ Maine, that grand and noble 

s!^ ship, 

That always was so well equipped 
And also looked so grand and large, 
Was built at Brooklyn's navy yard. 



In dollars, two million, five thousand 
were given 

For building this ship, that so basely was 
riven. 

And after completion, with pride she was 
hailed 

As o'er the blue waters so nobly she 
sailed. 




CAPTAIN CHARLES D. SIGSBEE. 



The captain of this handsome ship 
That sailed so nobly and so swift. 
Was Sigsbee, a hero brave and true, 
Who was much beloved by all his crew. 



And many men both brave and true, 

The work on this ship were wont to do, 

Among them, Carlton Jenks was often 
seen. 

Who, strange to relate, had this singular 
dream. 



One night while he in slumber slept,' 
In a bed o'er the waves where the moon- 
beams crept, 
He dreamed about the warship Maine, 
A dream whose reality truly came. 



He dreamed that soon our handsome 
Maine, 

That has won all hearts because of her 
fame, 

Would surely e'er long be destroyed 

By a deed, where hostile foes would be 
employed. 



And later when the men for prayer did 
meet, 

This dream to them, he did repeat, 

And when he told them all, he said, 

"Let's all be on our guard, our duty 
we'll not dread." 



We all have heard of the treacherous 
way 

The poor Cubans are treated from day 
to day, 

How they die of starvation, and have 
scant raiment and fuel, 

All of which is caused by those Spaniards 
so cruel. 



What hardships and sorrows these suf- 
ferers endure, 

Being shut in from sunshine, and all 
that is pure. 

How many poor women and children 
have died, 

Who from hunger and sorrow no longer 
will cry ? 



'Twas thought by many good men of our 
states. 

That to help the poor sufferers, we 
should not hesitate. 

They tried to persuade the Spaniards so 
base, 

To let the poor Cubans some happiness 
taste. 



And as the Spaniards continued this 
strife, 

'Twas thought that e'er long, the Stars 
and the Stripes 

Might protect the poor Cubans in a 
friendly manner 

If she waved each day in their harbor, 
Havana. 



So soon they decided a ship there to 
send, 

To protect our brave and loyal men, 

And also to hold friendly relations with 
Spain, 

And the ship that they sent was our 
battleship Maine. 



So into the Harbor of Havana, 

Our warship sailed in a noble manner 

On the 24th of January, '98, 

And while there, alas, she met her fate. 



How erand and massive she did look. 
As many, glimpses at her took. 
How stately she did sail along 
When greeted by the Spanish throng. 



And as she slowly sailed along, 
Of the sailors on that ship so strong, 
Captain Sigsbee then indeed could boast, 
For each was stationed at his post. 



When in the harbor a few weeks she 
had spent 

Doing her duty, for which she was sent, 

A dastardly, horrible deed did transpire. 

That filled all our hearts with anger and 

fire. 



'Twas on a peaceful, quiet and starlight 
night, 

When the moon shone forth her radi- 
ance bright, 

The voice of the sentry was heard to tell 

The captain and crew that "All was 
well." 



And as the sailors in the crew, 

Of the coming danger never knew. 

They went ere long for their night's 
repose, 

But. alas ! not many of them arose. 



About nine forty-five o'clock that night, 

At his desk sat the captain, a letter to 
write. 

What did then happen that turned his 
face pale ? 

Was it a storm that was brewing, or a 
terrible gale ? 



Ah no ! while he in silence sat, 

A terrific rumble, a roar, and a crash. 

Fell on his ears like a terrible blast, 

And shook the whole ship, both the 
riorg'ing: and mast. 




ORDERLY "BILL" ANTHONY. 



How frightful the darkness that followed 
the crash. 

The silence that followed seemed forever 
to last. 

How fearful the sound of the resound- 
ing crash 

As it echoed for miles like a shudder- 
ing blast. 



And after this sudden and terrible crash, 

He opened his door as quick as a flash, 

And met on the threshold his brave 
orderly. 

Who I must tell you was "Bill Anthony." 



13 



Then calmly and bravely to the captain 
he said, 

Who in sorrow was wondering how many 
were dead, 

"Sir, I have to inform you our ship's 
been blown up, 

And now I'm afraid she is sinking." 



What words, so startling, so dreadful, so 
true, 

What sorrow they brought, not every 
man knew. 

How tragic the scene that then met 
their eyes. 

As they gazed at the ruins with many 
a siorh. 



H 



Then up on the deck did the captain 
soon go, 

And oh ! what a scene of destruction 
and woe, 

For scattered in the waters blue, 
Were the bodies of his sailors true. 



Faint cries from the drowning then 
greeted his ear. 

But the captain was steady and calm 
through his fear ; 

He ordered the life boats to be quickly- 
let down 

To save some poor sailor e'er he should 
drown. 



15 



Two hundred and fifty-five men there did 
lay, 

Under the water in that bay. 

Out of three hundred and fifty-six sailors 
so brave, 

Ninety was the number that nig-ht that 
was saved. 



What sorrow and trouble this disaster 
has brought, 

And how many hearts have sadly been 
wrought ; 

Especially those of kind sisters and 
mothers 

Who have lost brave sons or kind, 
noble brothers. 



i6 



For to know whence this tragic disaster 
came 

Many men very soon examined the 
Maine, 

And the thought came up in most every- 
one's mind, 

That our ship was destroyed by a sub- 
marine mine. 



Then our brave men consulted each 

other, 

And it chd not take loner for them to 
discover, 

That because of that jealous feeling in 
Spain, 

The Spaniards blew up our battleship 
Maine. 



17 



No one now can blame our States, 

Because this injustice they would not take, 

Ah no! they're standing bravely for the 
right ; 

As now with the Spaniards so nobly 
they fight. 



What honor to our soldiers now is due, 
Who fought so manfully and true ? 
How brave and daring they did stand. 
Waiting to fight the hostile band. 




COMMODORE GEORGE DEWEY. 



Of the many men who've won their 
fame 

A true and noble man I'll name. 

Manila's hero, brave Commodore Dewey, 

Who has won his fame most nobly and 
truly. 



Much honor now to him is shown, 

Who fought so brave, but not alone. 

For near him stood that crew so loyal. 

Who to fight for the right, thought noth- 
ing more royal. 



19 



On history's page we soon shall read 

About this base and wicked deed, 

And also of this dreadful war 

That has filled all hearts with grief and 
awe. 



Then hail to our soldiers and sailors so 
brave, 

Who are striving each day their country 
to save. 

And hail, thrice hail, to our emblem so 
true, 

Our own dear fiag, the Red, White and 
Blue. 



JAN 2"/J899 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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